Combined thermostat and automatic pilot control



Aug. 19 1952 GARNER I 7 2,607,529

COMBINED THERMOSTAT AND AUTOMATIC PILO'If CONTROL I Filed June 11, 1949 I 4 'Sheets-Sheet 1,

INVENTOR. EUSSELL E GflE/Yfk 1952 i R. F. GARNER 2,607,529

COMBINED THERMOSTAT AND AUTOMATIC PILOT CONTROL Q Filed June 11, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1952 R. F. GARNER.- 2,607,529

' COMBINED THERMOSTAT AND AUTOMATIC PILOT CONTROL Filed June 11, 1949 4 ShqetS-Sheet s I Ill 5 6 52 g6\ .70 I 14 110 103 o 24 g .5 o I 5 I04 (J 1/ 'F' 4 a h I.

INVENTOR.

E0335 f. GfiE/Yfk Au 19, 1952 R. F. GARNER 0 COMBINED THERMOSTAT AND AUTOMATIC PILOT CONTROL Filed June 11, 1949 4 Sheets$hee t 4 v I INVENTOR. Q 3555 It" GfifiNE/E HTIOIZVEY' Patented Aug. 19, 1952 COMBINED THERMOSTAT AND AUTOMATIC PILOT CONTROL Russell F. Garner, Youngwood, Pa., assignor to Robertshaw-Fulton Controls Company, Greens- 'burg, Pa;, acorporation of Delaware Application June 11, 1949, Serial No. 98,584 Y This invention relates to combination controls for gaseous fuel burners wherein the temperature controlling device and'the pilot cut-off both operate upon a single control valve. In this respect the device is similar to-that disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,361,945to W. F. Jackson wherein the automatic pilot control embodied thermo-' magnetic means responsive to extinguishment of the pilot flame for causing the control valve to close in the event it -was being held open by the thermostat.

The present invention is particularly adapted, althoughnot limited. for use with gas burning space heatersand thelike whereby room, temperaturesmay be controlled within precise limits.

llhe thermall responsive element is preferably of the hydraulic type which'lends itself with the utmost flexibility to a variety of different installations. Adjustment for the desired temperature setting ismade from the front panel of the control with the object of facilitating such operation byziihe user.. Moreover, the. majority of features found advantageous in prior devices of this general type are retained in thisinvention.

.Thus, in addition to the foregoing objects the present embodiment provides for automatic shutoff; of the main burnerfuel in the event of pilot flame. failure; thesingle valve for dual control purposes which is not subjected to damage when the. automatic shut-off occurs; a safeguard against sticking valves whichmay. occur where a separate cut-off. valve is provided and. infrequently operated;iand the safe lighting feature provided by preventing flow of fuel to the main burnerduring the resetting operation.

With these and other objects and advantages in view. theinvention is embodiedin the combined thermostat and automatic .pilot control by includingflin a single casing the main fuel shut-off cock and the pilot fuel valve together with the single control valve operable byboth the thermoelectric pilot control and the room thermostat. The thermal element is operable through a lever device on one side .of the control valve while the thermoelectric pilot control is likewise operable thereon through a lever device but from the opposite side of this valve. The'thermostat lever is normally biased for opening the. control valve but operationof thehydraulic element will overcome thisbias -upon the set temperature being reached.

However,, since the;- pilot control may operate automatically. due to extinguishment of the pilot burnerfiame the. control valve may at any time be closed. irrespectiveofthe condition of the thermal'elemen'tr 4 Claims. (Cl. 2361) v In the accompanyingdrawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the control device. of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line III.III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional View taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; 4 r

Fig. 5, is a partial sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial cross section taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. l; s

Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view taken onthe line VII-VII of Fig. 6; and, p

Fig. 8 is a schematic view showing the control device on a reduced scale in position on a burner installation.

Referring more particularlyto the drawings, the control device comprises a casing l 6 provided at one end with a lateral inlet opening I2 for fuel and at the other end with'an outlet opening [4. The front face of the casing III is recessed to providea valve chamber IB intermediate the inlet I2 and outlet l4 and communicating at either end therewith. A front panel I8 is secured over the recessed valve chamber '16 and carries registry points 20, 22 for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter.

The passage of fuel, such as g'as, between the inlet I2 and the valve' chamber l6 is 'under control of a main shut-01f cook 24. The cock 24 may be of the type disclosed in the "aforementioned patent and providedwith' an angular port 26 which is movable upon rotation of the cock 24 by the usual knob 28 to open'and close communication between the inlet l2 and the valve chamber 16. The knob 28 carries indicia for the on, off and pilot positions of the main shut-off cook 24 and which are adapted to register selectively with the registry point 20 upon rotation of thecock24. Q

The knob 28 is furthermore adapted for axial movement relative to the cook 24 and is provided on its underside with a substantially angular recess 30 which, however, is interrupted by an unrecesse'd or land portion 3 l1 opposite the indicia' Pilot.- A plunger 32 projects'thr'ough the easing-Ill and the front panel 18 from the valve chamber l6 and is adapted to'be engaged by the land portion 32'up'on axial movement of the knob 23 in the pilot position} The plunger 32 is biased outwardly of the casing lllby a--coil spring 34 but, due to the' provision of the recess .30 in the i I underside of the knob 28; the-des'cribed engage-' 1 fuel from the chamber 38.

3 ment can onlyoccur in the designated pilot position.

Pilot value As shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, the easing It is provided with a pilot passage 36 which the pilot or on positions indicatedon t e The construction for accomplishing q knob 28. such passage of fuel to the pilot valve chamber 38 is fully described and shownin the aio'reinen tioned patent and further description herein considered unnecessary.

A pilot valve member 49 is mounted for axial movement in the chamber 38 to open and close a passage through a valve seat member 132 which is supported in the chamber 38. An outlet passage 44 communicates. withthe passage in the valve seatsmember 42 and thus receives a supply of fuel from the inlet 36 when the valve member it is in open position. Movement of the pilot valve member 40 between open and closed positions is effected by operation of a valve stem 46 which projects through the passage in the valve seat member 42 and is suitably fluted or noncircular to permit passage of fuel thereby. The valve member 40 is biased by a coil spring 48 to closed position relative to the valve seat 42 andthe usual sealing diaphragm 50 is provided forthe operating end of the stem 46 to prevent leakage of Control valve mechanism. An annular valve seat member 52 is formed in the casing in position to intersect the passage member-.53 is mounted on the valve stem 56 for movement therewith between open and closed positions relative to the valve seat 52. The-valve member 58 is normally biased toward the valve seat 52 by means to be described, more fully hereinafter.

The hollow valve stem 56 contains an override mechanism comprising a plunger 60 and biasing spring filwhich serves to urge a collar 64 on the plunger 68 into engagement with a bushing 66 closing the inner end of thehollow valve stem 56. The plunger 60 projects through the bushing 66 for operative engagement with the amplifying levers 68 of a clicker mechanism of well-known form including a thrust element 10 which serves to impart snap action movement to the valve member 58. The thrust element 10 carries valve operating means 12 which project .from the casing ID to the exterior thereoffor operation by mechanism now to be described.

Temperature regulation anism 68-12 is providedrand is housed within a- The usual capillarytubingy'la is connected at one'end to the head 88101 the bellows I6 and projects from i the housing M for connection toa bulb 82 at its exterior end. As is customary in hydraulic thermal elements of the type described, the bulb 82, capillary tube 18 and bellows 16 contain a thermally expansive fluid which will serve to expand the bellows I6 in response to increased temperatures sensed by the. bulb B2.

' The bellows'leris supported. on one arm of a pivoted lever device 82 which is biased into engagement therewith by a coil spring 84. The same arm or the lever 82 which engages the bellows. myalso engages the operating element 12 for'the'valve member 58. Consequently, clockwisemovement of thelever 82 as viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawings under bias of the spring 84 will serve toretainthe bellows 16 in a collapsed condition and also retain the lever 82 in operative engagement with the operating means 12.

The thermally responsive means is adapted to be adjusted from the front of the casing ID to set the temperature at which the valve 5 8 will be operated. The adjusting means takes the form of a stemfit which threadedly engages thee/Basing, ID and extends therethrougih into operativeengagement withthe head; of; the bellows 16. The stem 85 carries on its projecting end the usual dial 88 carryingindicia I Low," ll/Iedium" and Hi hf" for selective registry with the registry point 22 on the front panel I 8.

" Automatic pilot control Thermoelectric means are provided for moving the valve member-"53 to closed position 'upon the occurrence of certain conditions to be described and irrespective of the: thermal condition of the thermal element IE-432;- To this end,'thecasing Ii) intermediate the m'ain shut-off cock 2-4 and the control valve 58 is recessed for the reception of a magnet housin '90." An electromagnet'comprising a horseshoeframe 92 is seated on its base at one end of the magnet housing and is secured thereto by a hollow rivet 94 extending through these members. The usual winding 95 has one end secured in the hollo'w'rivet 94 to pro vide a ground connection as will be apparent hereinafter. The opposite end Of the winding 96 extends through an aperture in the cover 90 to the exterior thereof and, 'a's shown more clearly in Fig. 6, is secured in aIsocket 98 with which one endof a thermocouple lil'ii'make's good electrical connection as shown'inthe 'detail viewin Fig; 7.

-An armature N32 is; supportedlwithin the mag net hou'sing'flfl on an armaturetstem I65 which projects to the exterior lthereofiintothe valve chamber I6. The armature l-flz'is 'cooperable with the pole, faces of. the horseshoe magnet 92 for movement between v.att-racted and' released positions relative thereto. ThlIS, the armature N32 is positioned for movement in apathsub.

stantially parallel 'with'the valve: member 58' and is normally biased to its released positi'onby a coil spring I06 which' is operativeibetween the armature'stem HM, and the housingi'9fl. H

As is well known, the. electrical energy Tgen erated by the thermoco'upleimll responsive to heating thereof will 'beinsuincient to attract" the armature I62 from "its'i-releas'e'd position; butwill be suflicient to hold'thesame in attracted nosi' tion 'after the usual resetting operationhas been conducted. Consequently,manual resetting means including. the plunger-:32 previously-described is employed to conduct the: resetting. op.-.- eration. To this end,.a'lever device] [18 is pivoted intermediate its ends i'n 'the valveych'a'niberlfi and has one end positioned between tl'ie armat restemlfliandt e p u r 3 The op site zot; the'ale e e e 1.0.8 pve lies the. va ve normally biased into, engagement with the armature stem I 04-, but insufiiciently to overcome the bias of the armature stem spring; -I 06 unless the;

plunger 32 is manually operated toitsdepressed position. i I V The lever device I 08 is provided with a projection I I2 on the arm which engages the armature stem I04. This projection'I'I2, asshown more clearly in Figs. 4-6, is adapted to engage and operate the pilot valve stem 46 for moving the pilot valve member 40 to open position when the plunger 32 is depressed.

Operation- V Theoperation of the devicewill be described in connection with Fig. 8 of the drawings, wherein is shown a space heater installation comprising a main burner II4 having a pilot burner H6 in lighting proximity thereto and also positioned for heating the hot junction of the thermocouple I00. The heat of the main burner H4 is conducted through the usual baffles II8 positioned in the space heater housing I20 as illustrated schematically in the drawings. The bulb 82 of the thermostat is positioned in any convenient location in the space to be heated and is shown as being supported on the frame of the housing I20 where it will be protected from accidental blows or other damage. The inlet I2 on the control casing I0 is connected to a fuel supply pipe I22 while the outlet I4 is connected to a supply pipe I24 for the main burner II4. A pilot conduit I26 serves to connect the pilot burner I I6 to the outlet passage 44 from the pilot valve 42.

The control device is placed in operative condition by manual operation when the knob 28 is rotated to pilot position and pushed in axially to engage the plunger 32 with the adjacent arm of the lever I08. Such operation will unseat the pilot valve member 40 by means of the projection II2 on the lever device I08 and also move the armature I02 to its attracted position by axial movement of the armature stem I04. It should be observed that in the pilot position of the main fuel cook 24, the angular port 26 does not place the inlet I2 in communication with the valve chamber I6 but merely in communication with the pilot passage 36 as fully described in the aforementioned patent.

The fuel issuing from the pilot burner H6 is then lighted and the hot junction of the thermocouple I00 becomes heated. As soon as the thermocouple I00 develops sufiicient current to energize the winding 96 of the electromagnet then manual pressure on the knob 98 can be released and the armature I02 will be retained in its attracted position. The knob 28 is then rotated to the on position, as shown in the drawings. thus bringing the port 26 into open position for passage of fuel to the valve chamber I6.

The dial 88 may be adjusted to the desired temperature setting (shown as medium in the drawings). Operation of the dial 88 from low to "medium position will be in a counterclockwise direction and will serve to withdraw the stem 86 slightly from the casing I0. As the bellows I6 is under bias of the coil spring 84, a corresponding axial movement of the bellows 16 will occur accompanied by a clockwise rotation of the lever *82 also under bias of the coil spring 84. As the coil spring 84 is stronger than the valve spring rut-the levers? isenabld-to e rt thr t unq hew ti e oo er i s s em 12 and. ass th he qom.. em etu e;isbe w t e di s t he vel membe :5 lbes en edt its e 1 0 18 b ne e iqniofi 3 i m h n m- Elewntfue throu h he o t et I q th m i burner-I I4-can h en occur and this burner .be-

comes ignited pilot burner .I ,I 6. I-I eat ing of the space to the required temperature then continuesuuntil the bulb element 82 responds o the fincreas'ed 't mpe rat urej The fluid contai smit shy rau icmanagemen dgie iuntlve pa fd i a sesa-ror s nens $9 in w r 31. 1. her. ;.-Such expansion overcomes the bias of the. coilspring .84 Jaiid auses a counterclockwise expa siohsrjtne bel movement" of the lever 82. 1 Ag the. lever- 82 can no: e teiais Op tiv eng e n w thlvalv'ef operating stem; 12 the bias of the valve spring; no; serves" to close t'heivalve member '58 ag'ai'nst'itsseat 52 by reversing the position of the clicker mechanism with a snap action. As soon as the temperature sensed by the bulb 82 drops below that for which the thermostat has been set, then the position of the parts is reversed and the valve member 58 resume its open position as previously described.

In the event that the pilot burner H6 is extine guished then the thermocouple I00 ceases to generate current causing deenergization of the electromagnet 92 and movement of the armature I02 7 away from the pole faces thereof. Such release and the hollow valve stem 56 moves axially of the plunger 60 without causing reverse operation of the clicker mechanism as in normal thermostatic valve operation. The valve member 58 now being engaged with the seat 52 flow of fuel to the main burner is shut-off. Since the lever I08 has been rotated counterclockwise by the spring I06 then the projection I I2 no longer engages the pilot valve stem 46. Provision for shut-off of fuel to the pilot burner II6 also is thus made so that the per cent shut-01f feature is retained in this invention.

It will be understood that many changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A combined thermostat and automatic pilot control comprising in combination: a casing having inlet and outlet passages; a valve seat intersecting said passages; a control valve member movable between open and closed positions relative to said seat and being biased to said closed position; an electromagnet. having an armature positioned for movement between attracted and released positions in a path substantially parallel With the path of movement of said valve member, said electromagnet being positioned laterally of said valve member; a lever extending between said armature and said valve member for holding the latter in said closed position when said armature is in the released position and being ineffective in the attracted position thereof; a snap action actuator for said valve member, said actuator having at least a portion thereof extending from said casing; means positioned exterior of said casing and providing an expansible and collapsible chamber with a movable end wall positionediatralryofsaiii aetuatortobemptabie in a; patheiibstaxitiallyfiai aflelfwithj-thatfof 'salid' valve niembef, said means being; responsive "to temperatures at; a' remote mint-y a housing car- .ried; b'yf saidf asihg fox? shielding; said chamber;

and'aleveriin saidhousing operatively associated withfgaidacthatoramf,said movable end WaHfOI'" ran mi m eh n qa i mb pmen t w-v control: as olaime d irit oiaiin 1f whe1ein:s,a1d;tem-

perature"respongiv mari inqludesk oa'pillary .tubeanti btilbfoigigihg a olosedisystem with said chafmbfl isai ttjcl iamber being; expansiblein resbpjrilsei to temperature 'increasesatsaid bnlb for" og'aeg'atihgisaicf last named 1eye'r to a. position where said'vaIvemember'isolosedh 8;. A cOmb'ned-;the rmo'stat, andiautoinaticp ilott control}'as glaimed in 'c laim' '1; whereinpmeems is provided; ffOI adjusting said ohamber relati ve to 20 saidlast named lever tosetthe temperature at which said actuatorwillmovesaidvalve member.

4; A; combined thermostat and automatic pilot control as claimedin claim 3wherein said actufating means includes a, shaftextending through said casingasaid "shaft being axially adjustable along a path substantiallyparallel with that of said valve member, vi V RUSSELL F. GARNEE; v

. Thef -following refefenoes; are of"reeord 111 the file of this patent: a V

UNITED STATES P ENTS, 

